Book Marketing Tips and Author Success Podcast

Screenplay Scams Exposed: Important Warning for Authors

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you're a seasoned author navigating the industry or an aspiring writer with dreams of seeing your work on the screen, this episode is a m...

Amazon News: International Readers Getting Cut Out of the Equation

02 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're delving into the recent changes that Amazon has implemented for international book buyers. The notable shift is the disallowance of giftin...

Decoding the Jargon: Publicity, Marketing, Advertising, and Branding

26 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're chatting about the often misunderstood differences between publicity, marketing, advertising, and branding. Why? Because knowing the diffe...

Cracking the Code: Here's Why Your Amazon Ads Stopped Working

19 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have your Amazon Ads suddenly stopped working? Join us as we unravel the mysteries behind why your carefully crafted ads may have taken a nose dive. ...

Crafting the Perfect Book Title and Subtitle Combo

12 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Beyond the cover, your book's title is its first impression. Dive into the discussion on why the right title, paired with a captivating subtitle,...

How and Why Readers Buy Books: Understanding the Reader Journey

05 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Your book is priced well and the cover is great – so why isn’t it flying off the shelves?In this eye-opening episode, we demystify the confusion s...

It's a Big Announcement!

30 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Drumroll, please!Tune in for a big announcement about Penny's latest book that just hit Amazon! This book is bigger and better than any previous ...

Most Downloaded Episode: Why "Good Enough" and "Everyone Loves It" are Dangerous

29 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is our second most downloaded episode of all time!Why do we think it's popular? Well, as an author you want people to love your work, we get...

Most Downloaded Episode: How We Really Feel About Advertising

22 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is our most downloaded episode of all time!Why? Well, because display advertising has been a part of marketing and promotion forever. It's a...

The Secrets to Pricing Your Book for Success

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to another insightful episode of our podcast where we will deep dive into all things book pricing, a vital yet often overlooked facet of your ...

Unlock the Secrets to Bestselling Success in 2024

08 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wished you had a crystal ball to foresee your book's success? Say no more! Penny and Amy are decoding the mysteries of effective book market...

Tossing Outdated Tactics and Refocusing in 2024

01 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Calling all aspiring and seasoned authors! It's a great time of year to reassess what's working and what isn't! In this episode, we sh...

The Game-Changing Author Mindset

25 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join us as we unravel the secrets of the author success mindset. This isn't your typical "stay positive" pep talk; we're dissectin...

How to Break Into Trade Magazines

17 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we're talking about another hidden gem in book marketing - trade magazines!What exactly are trade magazines? They're not jus...

Tips for Developing a Captivating Book Cover & Penny's Latest Odyssey

10 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hear about Penny's trials and tribulations through the process of book cover design while we unveil the secrets, struggles, and triumphs of book ...

Smart & Simple Strategies for Holiday Book Marketing

03 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is a holiday edition of our podcast, where we unveil some helpful tips to ramp up your book sales during the festive season! Picture this: twink...

Secrets and Tips for Landing on a Bestseller List

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ah, Bestseller lists - they are shrouded in mystery but are often at the top of every author's team board! Our goal for this episode is to cover...

How to Avoid Adding Your Book to an Amazon Dead End Category

20 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We're back for another Amazon update! Recently it's been discovered that if you're only choosing categories from the KDP dashboard you ...

Listener Request: When to Prep Elements of Your Author Platform

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our goal for this episode is to break down when you should start working on key elements of your platform, including everything from your website, to ...

How to Craft a Great Book Pitch

06 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our goal for this episode is to break down the elements of a really great book pitch: one that generates responses and opens doors. So whether you&apo...

The Amazon Sales Rank Demystified

29 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our goal for this episode is to break down what your Amazon sales rank really means - and spoiler alert - it's more than just book sales. We&apo...

How to Get into Catalogs and Subscription Boxes

22 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our goal for this episode is to help you think inside the box, see what we did there? But in all seriousness, catalogs and subscription boxes are unde...

Fake Books are Stealing Author Identities on Amazon

15 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We're seeing this a lot more - books being populated on Amazon (often written by AI) and published under well-known author names. Our goal for th...

Amazon is Changing How Book Reviews Show Up in Search

08 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon is making a lot of changes lately, but this one could really level the playing field for indie authors! Our goal for this episode is to ensure...

Too Many Books, Not Enough Time to Market

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We get it, writing is the fun part. And we generally don't write books because we can't wait to market them, right? But we also can't k...

The Amazon Machine is Changing Again

25 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Amazon book search algorithm is changing again! In this week's episode, the dynamic book duo takes another peek under the Amazon hood to help...

How to Identify (and avoid) Publishing Scams

18 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nothing makes us madder than an author who has been scammed, so this week we're unpacking all the ways authors could get scammed.Our goal for thi...

Amazon Updates on Categories and More Changes on Amazon

11 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

So what's going on with Amazon categories? Have the changes really impacted us a lot?Our goal for this episode is to break down all the things *a...

Getting Your Books Specialty & Holiday Table Placement

04 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You've seen the special tables in bookstores that draw your immediate attention, right? They're either for local authors, special promotions...

Getting Your Book into Specialty Stores and Gift Shops

28 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There's so much more marketing to be done offline than many authors realize. Our goal for this episode is to explore some potential sales opport...

How to Use AI to Boost Your Book Marketing

21 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you've been hearing a lot about AI and sites like ChatGPT you're going to want to dig into this episode right away! Our goal for this ep...

All You Need to Know About Paid Influencer Marketing

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There's a lot of pay-for-play out there right now, and while some of it is great, some of it really isn't.  How can you tell the difference...

How to Get More Traction on Social Media

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered why your social media is falling flat? It could be because of the shelf life of your posts - how long do users actually see you...

How to Pitch Yourself to Podcasts or Start Your Own

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Podcasts are all the rage, this is not news - but if you've ever thought about getting on the podcast train, this show is for you. We'll tal...

Amazon's Latest Changes to Book Reviews

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Yes, MORE changes. Amazon is on a roll lately with the changes that are impacting authors and we're committed to getting shows recorded in real-t...

The New Category Changes on Amazon

16 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon has done it again! They dropped category changes that have sent the industry into a tailspin!  Penny and Amy unpack all the things related to ...

"Doing Marketing" Versus Building & Growing Your Brand

09 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It feels great to check marketing chores off your to-do list, but how do you know if what you're doing is really worth your time? Focused and str...

What We Really Think About Social Media Advertising

02 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Social media advertising is a staple in many authors' DIY marketing plans, but when is social media advertising not beneficial? And how do you re...

Summer Promotion Ideas for Books Written for Kids and Teens

26 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Bonus hashtags below! Despite what the "vibe" might be out there these days, parents are still really committed to reducing screen time for ...

Using Book Awards and Contests to Maximize Your Exposure

19 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We love book contests, in fact, Penny has judged a few of them, including Writer's Digest and IBPA's Benjamin Franklin Awards! So this podc...

Let's Talk About Soft Launches & Whether They Really Work

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us have heard the term 'soft launch' before, whether in the publishing industry or for another product or company launch.But what is...

Book Distribution Finally Demystified

05 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There's a lot of confusion around book distribution, and the terminology can be really confusing. For example, what is distribution exactly, and...

5 Reasons Your Amazon Ads Aren't Working

28 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Drum roll please! Penny has just finished updating How to Sell Books by the Truckload and it's the 10th edition! We're so excited (especiall...

Things You Must Know How to Do As an Author

21 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We realize this industry is full of authors with a range of abilities. We don’t all have the same computer savvy, some of you may feel you’ve earn...

Tips for Setting a Budget for Your Book Marketing

14 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We get it, it's hard to know what to spend on book marketing. So we thought it was a good time to talk about the elephant in the room: How much s...

Book Formats: Understanding the Benefits of Each Option

31 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Book formats are often not talked about enough until it's too late, or more accurately, until the options and missed opportunities cause a lot of...

The Secrets to a Perfect Book Release

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Is there such a thing as the perfect book release?  Actually yes, but it's not what you think! Too often authors get caught up in having ALL the...

Why Promoting Locally Can be a Goldmine

17 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We keep repeating ourselves because authors don't do it enough, but promoting locally is one of the best ways to start securing media opportuniti...

The Pitfalls of Soliciting Feedback from Friends and Social Media

10 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This episode was inspired by an author that came to us with a wonderful book (but terrible cover) saying, "This one won the Facebook poll I did.&...

How to Follow the "Rules" for Success

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's podcast is about rules and yes, we know that sounds like a lot of buzzkill but trust us when we say: publishing rules matter and those wh...

How to Sell Your Book at the Correct Price

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pricing a book has always been a tricky concept, and we get it, finding the balance between making your book accessible while also making money can be...

How Artificial Intelligence is Changing Publishing

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you've been on any publishing news sites, I'm sure you've heard about AI (artificial intelligence) and more specifically, ChatGPT. A...

Penny & Amy's Biggest Book Cover Pet Peeves

09 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We talk about book covers a lot, because they really are that important. Your book cover alone can keep a potential buyer interested long enough to re...

How to Sell More Copies of Your How-to or Self-Help Title

02 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's not easy trying to compete as a how-to or self-help author, and Penny knows this first hand. Not just from the 18 books she's written a...

Getting Permission to Use Reviews, Blurbs and Likenesses

27 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Permissions aren't fun or sexy - but they're necessary. Any time you're using someone else's words, praise, input or inspiration t...

How to Make the Most Out of Every Marketing Dollar

19 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We know it's tempting to want to do all the right things to get your book out there.But in reality, it's more important to do the right thin...

How Your Author Bio Can Help You Sell Books

13 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is a revival from the archives because it's really THAT important!How's your bio on Amazon? When was the last time you checked it and g...

How to Make the Most Out of Every Single Win

05 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You got a great endorsement or review, or maybe you won an award, or finally set up your newsletter - so what do you do now? A lot of authors have a c...

A Different Perspective on Success and Failure

30 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In our final episode of 2022 we want to address why it's important to reevaluate what success means to you, and how to let failure boost your wil...

Listen to This Before You Put Your Book on Amazon

22 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This is a revival from the archives because it's really THAT important!As soon as you put your title up on Amazon the platform starts to "le...

Common Ways Your Author Platform Works Against You

16 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This is a revival from the archives because it's really THAT important!I'm betting when you read this title, you thought: "I'm pro...

The Ins and Outs of Selling Books in Bulk

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How would you like to sell 5,000 copies of your book in one deal? Have we got your attention? Good, because you're absolutely going to want to li...

How the Wrong Book Title Can Make or Break Your Sales

02 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This is a revival from the archives because it's really THAT important!Book titles play a huge role in positioning your title competitively in th...

Don't Lose Out on Sales By Marketing Your Non-Fiction to Everyone

24 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We get it, you have knowledge and expertise to share, and you genuinely feel you can help a wide demographic of people. But shoppers don't buy bo...

Personalizing Your Book Can Make You a Media Rockstar

18 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's a simple thing really, but surprisingly, so few authors do it. Our goal for this quick episode is to discuss a simple yet effective tip for ...

What You Can Expect to Pay for Your Book Marketing

10 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hiring a company to do marketing for you can be confusing. How much should you spend? What do things cost? And how can you maximize your marketing bud...

The Difference Between Marketing and Sales

04 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It seems obvious, doesn't it? But Amy's got strong feelings about this, and she's not wrong. Marketing and sales are not the same but t...

How Elevator Pitches Help Sell More Books

27 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve ever been pulled into a book by the enticing headline on the book retail page, chances are you were reading an elevator pitch. Our goal fo...

The Big Mistake You're Making on Your Website

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We see this all the time but it still surprises us how many authors do this one thing. Want to know what it is? Tune in! Our goal with this episode is...

How to Keep the Momentum Going After Your Release

13 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The first 30-days of the life of your book is really exciting, isn't it? But what happens after that? If you're like most authors, not much....

Minisode: The Problem with Long Pre-Orders

07 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Having your book up on Amazon for pre-order can be a really fun and exciting time, and we admit, the allure of racking up additional sales is real, bu...

How to Come Back from a Failed Book Launch

29 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We get it, your book came out and five hundred other things were vying for your attention. While book launches are important, sometimes we miss the ma...

Minisode: How Book Marketing Firms Waste Your Money

23 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Not all marketing is created equal! In this episode we're uncovering some ways that book marketing firms waste your money, specifically calling o...

Market Your Book in an Hour (or less) Per Week

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You've got big book marketing goals but very little time. If this statement resonates with you you're going to love this week's episode...

Minisode: Don't be a Gray Box on Amazon

09 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes the things you can do to improve your book sales require little effort, and while Amazon often seems confusing there are a lot of very simpl...

Things You Can Do to Fix Lagging Book Sales

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode was inspired by a series of frustrated comments we got on our blog, many of which lamented that nothing they were doing was moving the ne...

Minisode: The Next Big Thing in Audio Books

19 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you heard what's happening with audio book content? Audible's new offerings have really leveled up audio books, and today we're t...

Minisode: How to Protect Yourself from the Latest Author Scam

12 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's been one heck of a week. An author called us, having sent $7,000 to a firm promising him the moon, and guess what?The firm was pretending to...

How to Market Your Book without Social Media

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We see you. You're exhausted by trying to learn how to gain some traction on social media. You've flunked out of TikTok and find that the be...

Minisode: How We Really Feel About Advertising

05 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Display advertising has been around a long time, and it can be really effective for some products and services - but does it work for books?Our goal f...

Networking with Libraries Amps Up Your Brand and Local Sales

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This idea was born from a listener request, specifically they wanted some tips on how to work with libraries to book more events. So we decided to cov...

Minisode: Christmas in July - How to Prepare your book for BIG holiday sales

22 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Want to grab your share of holiday sales? Then now is the time to plan! In this special bonus episode, Amy and Penny break down what you need to do - ...

How to Get Your Money's Worth When Hiring a Book Marketing Company

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever considered hiring a book marketing company, are already interviewing potential teams, or still feeling a bit burned by your last b...

Minisode: Your Website's User Experience Matters

08 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Your website says a lot about you, so you really don't want to risk giving potential visitors the wrong impression. But sadly, we see authors mis...

How Not to Screw Up Your Website

30 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We see this a lot:  an author puts a bunch of stuff on their website because they think that’s what goes on a website. But they’re missing the po...

Minisode: The Importance of Online Media Alerts

24 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Online media alerts have seemingly taken a back seat in recent years because there's just so much distracting us online - but that's exactly...

Do Not Miss This Episode About Pen Names

16 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you are writing under a pen name, or considering one, you won't want to miss this show. Amy and Penny discuss a lot caveats and (avoidable) mi...

Minisode: Goodreads Reminded Us that Not All Book Promotion is Equal

10 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We got to chat with a team at Goodreads and wow, we got a lot of insight into their future plans, but also, a great reminder about what really moves t...

Insider Info on the Current Children’s Book Market

02 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Amy volunteered at her kids' book fair this year and came out of the experience with a lot of cool and exciting insight into what kids are lookin...

Minisode: Why Large Print Books Matter

27 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A lot of authors when thinking about “editions” of their books think: audio! Hardcover! Translation! But so few think of large print books - which...

The Big TikTok Show

19 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

 We thought it was time that we did a show on Tiktok, because while I realize it’s not a new-new platform per se, as social media sites go it’s f...

Minisode: How to Crowdfund Your Book

13 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are you interested in creating a Kickstarter campaign to finance your next book? Tune in to listen to our take on one crowdfunding campaign that worke...

What Most Authors Don't Understand About Publishing

05 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We did this episode because there still seems to be a lot of confusion around the differences between self-publishing, traditional publishing, and usi...

Minisode: What Your Book Review Process Says About You

29 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We get it, bad reviews can be hard. But instead of focussing on the negative, it's important to understand all of the positive benefits that can ...

10 Myths About Author and Book Success

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Separating fact from fiction, in this episode we tackle the myths, untruths and yes, even a few urban legends - all of which can tank your publishing ...

Minisode: Let's Talk About Paid vs. Organic Reviews

15 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We hear a lot about paid reviews and many authors are eager to get their book into these services, but are there drawbacks to paid reviews? In this ep...

Book Covers that Actually Sell Books

07 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Is your book cover helping or hurting your success? In this podcast Amy and Penny dig deep on what it means to have a successful book cover vs. one th...

Minisode: Why "Good Enough" and "Everyone Loves It" are Dangerous

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

 "I know enough people who will buy my book I don't have to worry about marketing it!" If you've said this you're not alone,...

Zeroing in on Your Real Reader Market

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We love creativity, but sometimes there's such a thing as "too creative." When authors are looking for readers, they sometimes want to ...

Minisode: Big Changes with Amazon Ads!

18 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You've probably heard by now, the Amazon ads team just opened up Amazon ads to *every* author. Previously you had to be a KDP author to get this....